Sean Hughes, who has died today at the age of 51, once spoke about the amphetamine overdose that nearly took his life.

The comedian, who regularly appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and had a recurring role on Casualty between 2009 and 2015, died in London's Highgate on October 16 following a stay in hospital.

As tributes from his comedy pals and fans alike flooded in, Sean's previous comments about his dislike of old age have taken on a new poignancy.

Sean will be deeply missed in the comedy world (Image: PA)

Sean on stage at Lattitude Festival in 2009 (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

In a 2014 interview with the Irish Times , the funnyman described how his life of "extreme" hedonism had taken its toll on his body - and how he would hate to grow too old.

"The dream is that, one day, people will live forever," he told the publication.

"Well, I don't want to live forever. I can think of nothing worse. I'm aiming for 75 to 80. I don't want to be in a nursing home aged 120, and the nurse coming over and saying: 'Are you enjoying your 120th birthday, Mr Hughes? Blink if you are'.

"How many blinks for 'turn off this machine'? And who is Mr Hughes?"

Sean once said he'd aim to reach 80 years old - but would hate to be old (Image: PA)

At the time of his interview, Sean was just 48 - but spoke about how his body was declining as he aged thanks to his years of fun.

"I have been blessed with decent health, even though I have pushed my body to extreme hedonistic limits," he recalled.

"I once overdosed on amphetamines: I was rushed to hospital and made to work the night shift."

The funnyman packed a life of 'extreme hedonism' into his 51 years (Image: WENN.com)

Sean noticed the toll it had taken, describing his thinning hair, middle-age spread and "breathlessness on upward gradients" as well as a new-found inability to sleep past 6am.

According to reports about his death, Sean was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and had recently been taken to London's Whittington Hospital.

Sean himself had tweeted for the final time on October 8, telling his followers he was in hospital.

He spoke in 2014 about quitting drinking after leaving a party with his jacket on fire, and revealed that he found the 'sober him' tedious.

Sean was a team caption on Never Mind The Buzzcocks opposite Phill Jupitus (Image: BBC)

"People were uncomfortable when I wasn't drinking. It made them question their own habits," he told the Irish Times at the time.

He opened up about he and his friends paying a local tramp to buy them booze aged 15 and how his late dad would get him to down two pints of Guinness in the pub when he came of age.

"I had to force these drinks down me in record time," he added. "Back at home, everybody went to bed. I spent an hour with my head down the toilet."

Sean changed the way Edinburgh Fringe shows were performed (Image: PA)

A statement from Sean's former management team paid tribute to his wit and imagination.

"Sean Hughes the comedian, actor, writer and novelist, died this morning in hospital," it read.

"He was at the time the youngest winner of the Perrier Award with his ground-breaking show, and went on to a glittering career.

"He was a formidable comedian and will be remembered by fans and the industry for his superb wit and quite brilliant imagination.